Old Acquaintance be Forgot
by Rose Vaughn
Summary: Rated for language. Mapp gets a lead on Hannibal and Clarice. But what she finds is something that she never expected.


Author's Note: I own none of it. Thomas Harris gets all the credit for that. But I did create Michelle and David Cartwood. I am making no money off this, so please don't sue me!  
  
OLD ACQUAINTENCE BE FORGOT  
  
Special Agent Ardelia Mapp sat bent over her desk, massaging the bridge of her nose. She had been studying the case file for weeks, now. Sighing, she closed the folder, threw it on her desk, and stood up to stretch. "Why don't we call it a night. We might do better if we actually get a decent night's sleep for a change."  
  
David Cartwood, Mapp's partner, laughed. "Sleep? Ever since I got assigned to this case, I haven't been able to get more than 5 hours of it a night. I've got Hannibal Lecter on the brain."  
  
"That's a great way to put it, Dave."  
  
"See what lack of sleep will do to someone?"  
  
At that moment, Jack Crawford walked up to Ardelia with a large manila envelope in his hand. "I've got a new lead for you."  
  
Mapp sighed. "Maybe this one will actually lead somewhere."  
  
"Well, it should." Crawford said as he handed her the envelope. "This picture was taken about one week ago, in a small town just outside of Paris." He hesitated.  
  
"What?" Ardelia asked.  
  
"Take a look."  
  
Cartwood stood up and went over to his partner as she opened the envelope and pulled out the picture. When Ardelia saw what was in the photo, she nearly went into shock. "Holy shit..."  
  
"Is...is it his?" Cartwood asked Crawford.  
  
"Yes, it is. The eyes are maroon, just like Hannibal's. The baby appears to be about six months old in this photo."  
  
Ardelia paid attention to none of it, for she was concentrating on the picture of Clarice holding a young infant with maroon eyes. *The son of a bitch. He raped her. The bastard raped her!*  
  
Six months later...  
  
It was three in the morning, and Clarice Lecter (formerly Clairce Starling) sat in her daughter's room, gently rocking the small baby to sleep. Michelle had been up half the night, and now just fallen asleep. Clairce sighed and looked up when she felt a strong hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Is she asleep?" Hannibal quietly asked his wife.  
  
"Hm-mm. Hopefully, she'll stay asleep. She needs to rest."  
  
"As do you, my dear. Come to bed." He lifted Michelle from Clarice's arms and carefully laid her in her crib. "Such a beautiful child."  
  
"You say that all the time." Clarice turned to leave the room, but stopped and smiled as she saw Hannibal lean over and softly kiss Michelle on the forehead.  
  
"Sleep well, my Mischa."  
  
"Cone on, you big teddy bear. Let's go to bed."  
  
Hannibal attempted to glare at his wife as they walked to the master bedroom. "I am not a teddy bear."  
  
Clarice smirked. "Right. Every time you look at her, you turn into a little puddle of goo."  
  
"And you know what?" He asked as they lay down in the bed.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I wouldn't have it any other way." Hannibal wrapped his powerful arm around Clarice, and together, they fell asleep.  
  
One week later...  
  
Ardelia Mapp watched the couple carrying their child throughout the marketplace. Ever since she discovered that Clarice had a child, the F.B.I. had re-doubled their efforts on locating Lecter. Their search had, after six months, brought them to Paris, and this marketplace. Mapp looked up at the roof of the building behind Lecter and Starling, and signaled for the agents in hiding to wait for a few more moments. This raid had to be timed perfectly; otherwise Clarice and the baby would be injured, or worse. They could be killed.  
  
Mapp boiled inside as she saw her best friend smile at a comment that Lecter had just made. *How in the hell could she be happy with that monster?* She thought to herself. *Doesn't she realize that he could kill her in an instant?*  
  
Cartwood, who was standing in the doorway to a small shop, caught Mapp's eye, the question evident on his face.  
  
Now?  
  
She shook her head. No. Just a few more minutes.  
  
Clarice stood at the small food stand, choosing various fruits and vegetables to buy for that night's dinner. As Hannibal paid the merchant, she turned to look for another shop. She frowned as a familiar face caught her attention. *Ardelia?* she thought? *What on earth is she doing here, unless...*  
  
Clairce turned to her husband. "Hannibal look. It's Ardelia."  
  
He nodded his head. "Yes, I know. There are two more agents on the roof of the building behind us, one in the doorway of the flower shop, and there have been three trailing us for the past fifteen minutes."  
  
Clarice smiled. "That's all? You'd think that they would send more agents to capture the infamous Hannibal Lecter."  
  
"Yes, you'd think they would. Nevertheless, we should leave. They have found us. It's time we move on." Hannibal put his arm around Clarice's waist and guided her away from the marketplace.  
  
Agent Mapp swore to herself as Clarice and Lecter turned the corner. *Damn, I waited too long.*  
  
She spoke into the small headset she wore. "Go. Take him down."  
  
All teams responded. "Yes, sir."  
  
Ardelia moved from her hiding place and followed the couple. When she turned the corner, she was astonished to find that neither Hannibal or Clarice were to be found.  
  
"Shit! Team one, do you see them anywhere?"  
  
The agents on the roof responded hesitantly. "No sir, they've vanished."  
  
"Team two?"  
  
One of the three agents who had been trailing the pair answered. "No. They're gone."  
  
Suddenly, Edward's voice filtered over Ardelia's headset. "Mapp, we've lost them."  
  
"All right. All teams, meet back at my position. We need to start asking questions, and find out where they live. We've put way too much effort into this for us not to catch them."  
  
Hannibal and Clarice rushed into their home, Michelle in Clarice's arms. Always being prepared for a quick move, Hannibal hurriedly grabbed the suitcases with the essentials his family would need until they reached their new home in Rome.  
  
Clarice stopped at the desk in the study, set Michelle down, and quickly wrote a note to her friend. She knew that given enough time, Ardelia would locate the mansion, and if she didn't hurry, her family as well.  
  
"Clarice! Come, we must leave."  
  
"Just a second. I'm almost done. There." Clarice folded the note in half and set it on the desk, next to a portrait of herself, Hannibal, and Michelle. She picked up the squirming infant, and joined he husband at the door. "Do you have everything?"  
  
"Yes. Everything we need is in the suitcases." He responded as they made their way the garage.  
  
"What about Mischa's stuffed lamb."  
  
"Don't worry, dear. I would never forget her favorite stuffed animal." Hannibal smiled and opened the passenger door to the sleek, black Jaguar then closed it when Clarice sat down.  
  
Only when the car was moving safely away from the Paris mansion did Clarice sigh in relief. "Where to now, my love?"  
  
Hannibal smiled. "I hear Rome is a lovely place this time of year. They have many wonderful shows as well."  
  
Clarice smiled as she rested her head on her husband's shoulder. "Hmm. I've always wanted to see Rome."  
  
Three hours after the Lecter family left Paris, a F.B.I. Swat team entered the home of Mr. and Mrs. Chanteau. Clarice had been wrong. They had sent many more than seven agents to capture Lecter. But once again, they were too late. It was obvious that this was one of the many homes that he owned. The large painting of Clarice over the fireplace had proven that. As the swat team searched the house, Ardelia walked into the study. On the desk, she found a letter with her name on it. She opened it and began to read.  
  
Ardelia-  
  
Did you think that we did not see you in the market place? I know you too well not to have seen you. Yes, I know what you are thinking. And I can assure you, you are wrong. Hannibal did not kidnap me seven years ago. You knew that I was going nowhere in the Bureau. So I decided to leave with him. He's not as horrible as you think, Ardelia. He loves me; treats me like a goddess. I am in no danger from him.  
I am also aware that you have seen our daughter, Michelle Josephine. Once again, I assure you, Hannibal has not harmed me in any way. No he did not rape me. This child is a decision that we both made, and she was entirely of my own free will. I could have chosen not to have her, and Hannibal would have respected my wishes. She's such a gorgeous child. Eyes just like her father's. Even at the young age of one, she looks as if she knows so much. Hannibal loves her more than anything. He calls her Mischa, after his sister. You wouldn't believe how gentle he is with her. So caring. He is a wonderful father, and husband.  
Ardelia, I ask a favor of you. Leave us alone. Please. We are so happy together. I'm happier that I ever have been. Hannibal has silenced the screaming in my dreams. Instead of lambs, I see him, and Mischa. You have to power to make us disappear. Hannibal and I would rather give up our lives than give up our freedom, or our child. You know you are my best friend, and that I care about you a great deal. Stay away, please. I care about you too much to see you get hurt.  
  
Sincerely,  
Clarice Lecter  
  
*A threat.* Ardelia thought to herself. *She's warning me to stay out of their lives. Hell, look at the way she signed her name.* Mapp sighed and picked up the portrait of Hannibal, Clarice, and Michelle. She looked at Clarice's eyes and realized that she really was happy. She had a child, and a husband (even though he's a psychopathic murderer). How could she deny her best friend all of that?  
  
Ardelia turned and walked into the main room and looked at the huge picture of Clarice hanging over the fireplace. "I don't know if I can really leave you alone, Clarice. But I'll try." She whispered as she tossed the letter into the flames. "As hard as I can. I promise."  
  
When the swat completed their search of the house, Mapp listened half- heartedly as they reported that they had found no trace of the Lecters. She nodded then turned to leave the mansion. As she opened the door, she glanced back at Clarice's picture once more. "Good luck, my friend. Good luck." 


End file.
